Editing South Park (section)

==Production==
Except for the pilot episode, which was produced using [[cutout animation]], all episodes of ''South Park'' are created with the use of software, primarily [[Autodesk Maya]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rosenberg |first=Adam |date=2017-06-19 |title='South Park' TV creators can beam their work directly into 'The Fractured But Whole' |url=https://mashable.com/article/south-park-fractured-but-whole-snowdrop-tv-show |access-date=2022-10-05 |website=Mashable |archive-date=January 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118182903/https://mashable.com/article/south-park-fractured-but-whole-snowdrop-tv-show |url-status=live }}</ref> As opposed to the pilot, which took three months to complete,<ref name="method">{{cite news|author=Matt Cheplic |title='As Crappy As Possible': The Method Behind the Madness of South Park |publisher=[[Penton Media]] |date=May 1, 1998 |url=http://digitalcontentproducer.com/mag/video_crappy_possible_method/ |access-date=April 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090329014416/http://digitalcontentproducer.com/mag/video_crappy_possible_method/ |archive-date=March 29, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and other animated sitcoms, which are traditionally [[traditional animation|hand-drawn]] by companies in [[South Korea]] in a process that takes roughly eight to nine months,<ref name="fortune" /><ref name="rs1" /> individual episodes of ''South Park'' take significantly less time to produce. Using computers as an animation method, the show's production staff were able to generate an episode in about three weeks during the first seasons.<ref name="cheesy" /> Now, with a staff of about 70 people, episodes are typically completed in one week,<ref name="fortune" /><ref name="loudlewd2" /><ref name="rs1" /> with some in as little as three to four days.<ref name="nytimesstudy">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/19/arts/television-radio-a-study-guide-for-south-park.html|title=A Study Guide for 'South Park'|date=November 19, 2000|work=The New York Times|access-date=May 22, 2009|last=Zeidner|first=Lisa|archive-date=March 30, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090330232613/http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/19/arts/television-radio-a-study-guide-for-south-park.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="faq-19mar2004">{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/faq/353828 |title=FAQ: How much time did it actually take to make all the actions and drawings of the kids in their anime phase? |access-date=January 17, 2012 |date=March 19, 2004 |publisher=Comedy Central |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228123427/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/353828 |archive-date=December 28, 2013 }}</ref><ref>
{{cite web
 |url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/faq/353927 
 |title=FAQ: I've read around that South Park episodes can be made in 5 days, but what is the speed record for producing an episode, and which one was it? 
 |publisher=Comedy Central 
 |date=November 15, 2004 |access-date=January 17, 2012 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228122457/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/353927 
 |archive-date=December 28, 2013 }}</ref> Nearly the entire production of an episode is accomplished within one set of offices, which were originally at a complex in  [[Westwood, Los Angeles, California]] and are now part of South Park Studios in [[Culver City, California]].<ref name="nytad" /><ref name="method" /> Parker and Stone have been the show's executive producers throughout its entire history.<ref name="garefino">{{cite web|url=http://bcm.bc.edu/issues/fall_2006/works/the-wrangler.html|title=The wrangler|date=Fall 2006|publisher=bcm.bc.edu|access-date=June 25, 2009|last=Mantell|first=Suzanne|archive-date=April 10, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410064602/http://bcm.bc.edu/issues/fall_2006/works/the-wrangler.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Debbie Liebling]], who was Senior Vice President of original programming and development for Comedy Central, also served as an executive producer during the show's first five seasons, coordinating the show's production efforts between South Park Studios and Comedy Central's headquarters in New York City.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2009/biz/markets-festivals/fox-folding-atomic-label-1118002584/|title=Fox folding Atomic label|date=April 19, 2009|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=August 11, 2009|last=Fleming|first=Michael|archive-date=November 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107035810/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118002584?refCatId=13|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
|url=https://variety.com/2002/tv/news/liebling-ankles-her-comedy-post-1117864962/
|title=Liebling ankles her Comedy post|date=April 4, 2002|magazine=Variety|access-date=January 17, 2012
|last=Grego|first=Melissa}}</ref> During its early stages, finished episodes of ''South Park'' were hastily recorded to [[D-2 (video)|D-2]] to be sent to [[Comedy Central]] for airing in just a few days' time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spscriptorium.com/SPinfo/MakingOfSouthPark.htm |title=The Making of South Park |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=South Park Scriptorium |access-date=September 15, 2013 |archive-date=September 10, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130910101602/http://www.spscriptorium.com/SPinfo/MakingOfSouthPark.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Each episode used to cost $250,000.<ref>{{cite web|first=Bill|last=Carther|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97447363/pittsburgh-post-gazette/|title=South Park Cartoon is a hit for Comedy Central|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|page=32|date=December 30, 1997|accessdate=March 13, 2022|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|archive-date=March 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313023519/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97447363/pittsburgh-post-gazette/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Writing===
[[File:Elianandkenny.jpg|thumb|left|upright|alt=Montage: On top, an armored man with a rifle reaches for a scared young boy being held in the arms of an adult male in an open closet. On bottom, a frame from an animated show mimicking the picture above, with an adult female instead holding a young boy.|The Border Patrol raid during the [[Elián González]] affair is referenced in "[[Quintuplets 2000]]", which aired within the same week the event occurred.]]
Scripts are not written before a season begins.<ref name="lear">{{cite news|author=Jesse McKinley|title=Norman Lear Discovers Soul Mates in 'South Park'|work=The New York Times|date=April 10, 2003|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/10/movies/norman-lear-discovers-soul-mates-in-south-park.html|access-date=May 9, 2009|archive-date=December 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210110153/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/10/movies/norman-lear-discovers-soul-mates-in-south-park.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Production of an episode begins on a Thursday, with the show's writing consultants [[brainstorming]] with Parker and Stone. Former staff writers include [[Pam Brady]], who has since written scripts for the films ''[[Hot Rod (2007 film)|Hot Rod]]'', ''[[Hamlet 2]]'' and ''[[Team America: World Police]]'' (with Parker and Stone), and [[Nancy Pimental]], who served as co-host of ''[[Win Ben Stein's Money]]'' and wrote the film ''[[The Sweetest Thing (film)|The Sweetest Thing]]'' after her tenure with the show during its first three seasons.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/news/weather/orl-hamlet-2-movie-review-roger-moore,1,3124350.story|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529124530/http://www.latimes.com/news/weather/orl-hamlet-2-movie-review-roger-moore,1,3124350.story|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 29, 2010|title=Movie Review: 'Hamlet 2' – 3 stars out of 5|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=August 20, 2008|access-date=June 25, 2009|last=Moore|first=Roger}}</ref><ref>
{{cite web
 |url=http://www.esquire.com/features/man-at-his-best/ESQ0602-JUN_OPENER?click=main_sr 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305211503/http://www.esquire.com/features/man-at-his-best/ESQ0602-JUN_OPENER?click=main_sr 
 |archive-date=March 5, 2012 |title=A Fun Woman: Nancy Pimental 
 |date=June 1, 2002 |work=Esquire 
 |access-date=June 25, 2009 |last=Sellers 
 |first=John 
 |url-status=dead 
}}</ref> Television producer and writer [[Norman Lear]], an idol of both Parker and Stone, served as a guest writing consultant for the [[South Park (season 7)|season seven]] (2003) episodes "[[Cancelled (South Park)|Cancelled]]" and "[[I'm a Little Bit Country]]".<ref name="lear" /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2003-03-17-south-park_x.htm|title=TV icon Norman Lear is goin' down to 'South Park'|date=March 17, 2003|publisher=USA Today|access-date=May 22, 2009|last=Keveney|first=Bill|archive-date=July 19, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719105656/http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2003-03-17-south-park_x.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.awn.com/news/south-park-boys-hit-100-episodes-norman-lear-collaborate-new-season|title=South Park Boys Hit 100 Episodes; Norman Lear To Collaborate On New Season|date=March 13, 2003|publisher=Animation World Network|access-date=February 21, 2022|archive-date=February 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221185243/https://www.awn.com/news/south-park-boys-hit-100-episodes-norman-lear-collaborate-new-season|url-status=live}}</ref> During the 12th and 13th seasons, ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' actor and writer [[Bill Hader]] served as a [[creative consultant]] and co-producer.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/Scene/article.aspx?subjectid=283&articleid=20091016_283_D2_Cnrtlt351746 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110830002636/http://www.tulsaworld.com/Scene/article.aspx?subjectid=283&articleid=20091016_283_D2_Cnrtlt351746 |archive-date=August 30, 2011 |title=Hader and Harjo: Tulsa talents keep on making must-sees |last=Smith |first=Michael |date=October 16, 2009 |work=Tulsa World |access-date=October 21, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2009/04/03/bill-hader-adve/|title=Bill Hader: The EW Pop Culture Personality Test|last=Bierly|first=Mandi|date=April 3, 2009|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=February 21, 2022|archive-date=February 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221185233/https://ew.com/article/2009/04/03/bill-hader-adve/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2009/09/thursdays_riffs_5.html|title=The 'Riffs Interview: 'SNL's' Bill Hader Embraces His Inner Nerd for 'Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs'|last=Cavna|first=Michael|date=September 2009|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=October 21, 2009|archive-date=June 24, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110624095318/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2009/09/thursdays_riffs_5.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

After exchanging ideas, Parker will write a script, and from there the entire team of animators, editors, technicians, and sound engineers will each typically work 100–120 hours in the ensuing week.<ref name="apple">{{cite web|url=https://www.apple.com/pro/profiles/southpark/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816021453/http://www.apple.com/pro/profiles/southpark/index.html |archive-date=August 16, 2011 |title=South Park Studios: No Walk in the Park |access-date=December 21, 2008 |author=Driver, Dustin |publisher=[[Apple Inc.]] |url-status=dead }}</ref> Since the show's [[South Park (season 4)|fourth season]] (2000), Parker has assumed most of the show's directorial duties, while Stone relinquished his share of the directing to focus on handling the coordination and business aspects of the production.<ref name="fortune" /><ref>
{{cite web|url=http://www.macleans.ca/culture/entertainment/article.jsp?content=20070423_104250_104250
|title=South Park has a silent partner|date=April 23, 2007|publisher=Maclean's|access-date=June 24, 2009|last=Weinman|first=Jaime J.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070706040238/http://www.macleans.ca/culture/entertainment/article.jsp?content=20070423_104250_104250|archive-date=July 6, 2007}}</ref> On Wednesday, a completed episode is sent to Comedy Central's headquarters via satellite uplink, sometimes just a few hours before its air time of 10&nbsp;PM [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern Time]].<ref name="fortune" /><ref name="sps40">{{cite web|title=40 Questions|url=http://treyparker.info/archives_spstudios.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129004417/http://treyparker.info/archives_spstudios.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 29, 2010|date=October 4, 2001|publisher=South Park Studios|access-date=January 30, 2009}}</ref>

Parker and Stone state that subjecting themselves to a one-week deadline creates more spontaneity amongst themselves in the creative process, which they feel results in a funnier show.<ref name="fortune" /> The schedule also allows ''South Park'' to both stay more topical and respond more quickly to specific current events than other satiric animated shows.<ref name="growsup2" /><ref name="abc3">{{cite web|author1=Jake Trapper|author2=Dan Morris|name-list-style=amp|title=Secrets of 'South Park'|publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|date=September 22, 2006|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Entertainment/Story?id=2479197&page=3|access-date=April 18, 2009|archive-date=May 11, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511114130/http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Entertainment/Story?id=2479197&page=3|url-status=live}}</ref> One of the earliest examples of this was in the [[South Park (season 4)|season four]] (2000) episode "[[Quintuplets 2000]]", which references the [[United States Border Patrol]]'s raid of a house during the [[Elián González affair]], an event which occurred only four days before the episode originally aired.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/celebrity/south-park-salutes-elian/|title='South Park' Salutes Elian|author=[[Stephen M. Silverman]]|year=2000|publisher=People|access-date=February 21, 2022|archive-date=June 2, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090602024729/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,617720,00.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[South Park (season 9)|season nine]] (2005) episode "[[Best Friends Forever (South Park)|Best Friends Forever]]" references the [[Terri Schiavo case]],<ref name="abc4" /><ref name="loudlewd2" /> and originally aired in the midst of the controversy and less than 12 hours before she died.<ref name="rs1" /><ref name="nytimesarts">{{cite news|author=Kate Aurthur|title='South Park' Echoes the Schiavo Case|work=The New York Times|date=April 2, 2005|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/02/arts/arts-briefly-south-park-echoes-the-schiavo-case.html|access-date=February 21, 2022|archive-date=March 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319084241/https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/02/arts/arts-briefly-south-park-echoes-the-schiavo-case.html|url-status=live}}</ref> A scene in the [[South Park (season 7)|season seven]] (2003) finale "[[It's Christmas in Canada]]" references the discovery of dictator [[Saddam Hussein]] in a "spider hole" and his subsequent [[Operation Red Dawn|capture]], which happened a mere three days prior to the episode airing.<ref name="faq-19dec2003">{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=12&year=2003 |title=FAQ: December 2003 |access-date=October 19, 2008 |date=December 19, 2003 |publisher=southparkstudios.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080504055200/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=12&year=2003 |archive-date=May 4, 2008 }}</ref> The [[South Park (season 12)|season 12]] (2008) episode "[[About Last Night... (South Park)|About Last Night...]]" revolves around [[Barack Obama]]'s victory in the [[2008 United States presidential election|2008 presidential election]], and aired less than 24 hours after Obama was declared the winner, using segments of dialogue from Obama's real victory speech.<ref name="IGNobama">{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/11/07/how-south-park-pulled-off-about-last-night|title=How South Park Pulled off "About Last Night..."|website=IGN|date=November 6, 2008|author=Fickett, Travis|access-date=June 9, 2020|archive-date=June 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611062117/https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/11/07/how-south-park-pulled-off-about-last-night|url-status=live}}</ref>

On October 16, 2013, the show failed to meet their production deadline for the first time ever, after a power outage on October 15 at the production studio prevented the episode, season 17's "[[Goth Kids 3: Dawn of the Posers]]", from being finished in time. The episode was rescheduled to air a week later on October 23, 2013.<ref name="Power Outage">{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/news/j2j34b/episode-1704-will-not-air-tonight?xrs=synd_facebook-sp-blackout|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051430/http://www.southparkstudios.com/news/j2j34b/episode-1704-will-not-air-tonight?xrs=synd_facebook-sp-blackout|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 17, 2013|title=Episode 1704 will not air tonight |publisher=Comedy Central |date=October 16, 2013|access-date=October 16, 2013}}</ref>

===Animation===
[[File:South Park production comparison.png|thumb|upright=0.66|alt=Montage showing the stages of an animation process: On top, a simple black and white sketch of a male child in a rocket kiddie-ride, while another young child stands next to the ride and reluctantly holds the rider's hand. In the middle, stock animation characters reflecting the sketch shown at top, sans background characters. At bottom, a screenshot of a fully animated frame showing the same event, complete with characters and arcade games in the background|The various stages of production (from top to bottom): the storyboard sketch, the CorelDRAW props with stock character models, and a frame from the fully rendered episode, "[[Super Fun Time]]"]]
The show's style of animation is inspired by the paper cut-out cartoons made by [[Terry Gilliam]] for ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]'', of which Parker and Stone have been lifelong fans.<ref name="paulson" /><ref name="time"/><ref name="faq-18apr2001">{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=4&year=2001 |title=FAQ: April 2001 |access-date=December 21, 2008 |date=March 18, 2001 |publisher=Comedy Central |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090328120915/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=4&year=2001 |archive-date=March 28, 2009 }}</ref> [[Construction paper]] and traditional [[stop motion]] [[cutout animation]] techniques were used in the original animated shorts and in the pilot episode. Subsequent episodes have been produced by [[computer animation]], providing a similar look to the originals while requiring a fraction of the time to produce. Before computer artists begin animating an episode, a series of [[Traditional animation|animatics]] drawn in [[Toon Boom]] are provided by the show's storyboard artists.<ref name="apple" /><ref>
{{cite web
 |url=https://southpark.cc.com/clips/228729 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090618072029/http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/228729 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-date=June 18, 2009 |title=Part 2: Storyboard 
 |date=Spring 2009 
 |publisher=Comedy Central
 |access-date=June 25, 2009 }}Video interview with show storyboard artist Keo Thongkham
</ref>

The characters and objects are composed of simple geometrical shapes and [[primary color|primary]] and [[secondary color]]s. Most child characters are the same size and shape, and are distinguished by their clothing, hair and skin colors, and headwear.<ref name="tvamerica" /> Characters are mostly presented two-dimensionally and from only one angle. Their movements are animated in an intentionally jerky fashion, as they are purposely not offered the same free range of motion associated with hand-drawn characters.<ref name="growsup2" /><ref name="method" /><ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite news|author=Abbie Bernstein |title=South Park – Volume 2 |publisher=AVRev.com |date=October 27, 1998 |url=http://www.avrev.com/dvd-movie-disc-reviews/tv-shows/south-park-volume-2.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090718231814/http://www.avrev.com/dvd-movie-disc-reviews/tv-shows/south-park-volume-2.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 18, 2009 |access-date=April 30, 2008 }}</ref> Occasionally, some non-fictional characters are depicted with photographic cutouts of their actual head and face in lieu of a face reminiscent of the show's traditional style. Canadians on the show are often portrayed in an even more minimalist fashion; they have simple beady eyes, and the top halves of their heads simply flap up and down when the characters speak.<ref name="mcfarland2" />

When the show began using computers, the cardboard cutouts were scanned and re-drawn with [[CorelDRAW]], then imported into [[PowerAnimator]], which was used with [[Silicon Graphics|SGI]] workstations to animate the characters.<ref name="apple" /><ref name="method" /> The workstations were linked to a 54-processor [[render farm]] that could render 10 to 15 [[shot (filmmaking)|shots]] an hour.<ref name="apple" /> Beginning with [[South Park (season 5)|season five]], the animators began using [[Autodesk Maya|Maya]] instead of PowerAnimator.<ref name="faq-14may2001">{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/news/712d55/faq-do-you-still-use-construction-paper-to-animate-the-show|title=FAQ: May 2001|access-date=December 19, 2008|date=May 14, 2001|publisher=Comedy Central|archive-date=October 18, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018105007/http://southpark.cc.com/blog/2013/06/10/faq-do-you-still-use-construction-paper-to-animate-the-show|url-status=live}}</ref> As of 2012, the studio ran a 120-processor render farm that can produce 30 or more shots an hour.<ref name="apple" />

PowerAnimator and Maya are high-end programs mainly used for [[3D computer graphics]], while co-producer and former animation director [[Eric Stough]] notes that PowerAnimator was initially chosen because its features helped animators retain the show's "homemade" look.<ref name="method" /> PowerAnimator was also used for making some of the show's visual effects,<ref name="method" /> which are now created using [[Motion (software)|Motion]],<ref name="apple" /> a newer graphics program created by [[Apple, Inc.]] for their [[Mac OS X]] [[operating system]]. The show's visual quality has improved in recent seasons,<ref name="growsup2" /> though several other techniques are used to intentionally preserve the cheap cutout animation look.<ref name="fortune" /><ref name="cheesy">{{cite news|url=https://www.wired.com/1997/09/it-aint-easy-making-south-park-cheesy/|title=It Ain't Easy Making South Park Cheesy|access-date=February 21, 2022|author=Tanner, Mike|date=September 3, 1997|magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090720072446/http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/1997/09/6558|archive-date=July 20, 2009}}</ref><ref name="ars3">{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/features/1999/07/sp-interview/3/|title=The Ars Technica South Park interview|access-date=February 21, 2022|author= Evil|date=July 26, 1999|website=Ars Technica|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060326171426/http://arstechnica.com/articles/culture/sp-interview.ars/3 |archive-date=March 26, 2006 }}</ref>

A few episodes feature sections of [[live-action]] footage, while others have incorporated other styles of animation. Portions of the [[South Park (season 8)|season eight]] (2004) premiere "[[Good Times with Weapons]]" are done in [[anime]] style, while the [[South Park (season 10)|season 10]] episode "[[Make Love, Not Warcraft]]" is done partly in [[machinima]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.machinima.com/article/view&id=459 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080805030811/http://www.machinima.com/article/view%26id%3D459 |archive-date=August 5, 2008 |title="Make Love, Not Warcraft": Q&A with Frank Agnone, J.J. Franzen, and Eric Stough. |access-date=December 19, 2008 |date=November 15, 2006 |publisher=[[Machinima.com]] |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[South Park (season 12)|season 12]] episode "[[Major Boobage]]", a homage to the 1981 animated film ''[[Heavy Metal (film)|Heavy Metal]]'', implements scenes accomplished with [[rotoscoping]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/guide/1203/making_boobage/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080729223233/http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/1203/making_boobage/ |archive-date=July 29, 2008 |title=Major Boobage: Behind The Scenes |access-date=May 23, 2009 |date=December 2008 |publisher=Comedy Central |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Voice cast===
{{main|List of South Park cast members|l1=List of ''South Park'' cast members}}

Parker and Stone voice most of the male ''South Park'' characters.<ref name="nytimesmorals" /><ref name="growsup2" /><ref name="faq-23apr2002">{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/faq/353438 |title=Who does the voices for the characters on South Park? |access-date=October 24, 2010 |date=April 23, 2002 |publisher=Comedy Central |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514234428/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/353438 |archive-date=May 14, 2011 }}</ref> [[Mary Kay Bergman]] voiced the majority of the female characters until her death in November 1999. [[Mona Marshall]] and [[Eliza Schneider]] succeeded Bergman, with Schneider leaving the show after its [[South Park (season 7)|seventh season]] (2003). She was replaced by [[April Stewart]], who, along with Marshall, continues to voice most of the female characters. Bergman was originally listed in the credits under the alias Shannen Cassidy to protect her reputation as the voice of several [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] and other kid-friendly characters.<ref name="ewbergman">{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/1999/11/22/south-park-must-continue-without-its-lead-female-performer/|title=''South Park'' must continue without its lead female performer|date=November 22, 1999|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|access-date=February 21, 2022|last=Bonin|first=Liane|archive-date=February 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221180551/https://ew.com/article/1999/11/22/south-park-must-continue-without-its-lead-female-performer/|url-status=live}}</ref> Stewart was originally credited under the name Gracie Lazar,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aprilstewart.com/page6.html |title=April Stewart – ABOUT |publisher=aprilstewart.com |access-date=May 23, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090413023726/http://aprilstewart.com/page6.html |archive-date=April 13, 2009 }}</ref> while Schneider was sometimes credited under her [[rock opera]] performance [[pseudonym]] Blue Girl.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elizaschneider.com/bio.html|title=MY BIO:::: Eliza Jane|publisher=elizaschneider.com|access-date=May 23, 2009|archive-date=December 17, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091217082626/http://www.elizaschneider.com/bio.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Other voice actors and members of ''South Park''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> production staff have voiced minor characters for various episodes, while a few staff members voice recurring characters. Supervising producer [[Jennifer Howell]] voices student [[Bebe Stevens]];<ref name="faq-23apr2002" /> co-producer and storyboard artist [[Adrien Beard]] voices [[Tolkien Black]],{{#tag:ref|Formerly Token Black; retconned in "[[The Big Fix (South Park)|The Big Fix]]".|group="nb"}}<ref name="faq-30apr2001">{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=4&year=2001 |title=FAQ: April 2001 |access-date=October 19, 2008 |date=April 30, 2001 |publisher=Comedy Central |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090328120915/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=4&year=2001 |archive-date=March 28, 2009 }}</ref> who was the school's only [[African-American]] student until the introduction of Nichole in "[[Cartman Finds Love]]"; writing consultant [[Vernon Chatman]] voices an [[anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] towel named [[Towelie (character)|Towelie]];<ref name="faq-23apr2002" /> and production supervisor [[John Hansen (voice actor)|John Hansen]] voices [[Mr. Slave]], the former gay lover of [[Mr. Garrison]].<ref name="faq-21nov2003">{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=11&year=2003 |title=FAQ: November 2003 |access-date=October 13, 2008 |date=November 21, 2003 |publisher=Comedy Central |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410145657/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=11&year=2003 |archive-date=April 10, 2009 }}</ref> Throughout the show's run, the voices for toddler and kindergarten characters have been provided by various small children of the show's production staff.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/faq/archives.php?id=224 |title=Ike FAQ Archives |publisher=Comedy Central |access-date=February 4, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410145404/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/archives.php?id=224 |archive-date=April 10, 2009 }}</ref>

When voicing child characters, the voice actors speak within their normal vocal range while adding a childlike inflection. The recorded audio is then edited with [[Pro Tools]], and the pitch is altered to make the voice sound more like that of a fourth grader.<ref name="sps40" /><ref name="digizine">{{cite web|author=Stephanie Jorgl|title=South Park: Where The Sound Ain't No Joke!|publisher=Digizine|year=2005|url=http://www.audiohead.net/interviews/digizine/stories/sp2.pdf|access-date=April 30, 2009|archive-date=October 12, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012104904/http://www.audiohead.net/interviews/digizine/stories/sp2.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=South Park FAQ |url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=2&year=2009 |date=February 10, 2009 |publisher=Comedy Central |access-date=April 30, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090511145241/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=2&year=2009 |archive-date=May 11, 2009 }}</ref>

[[Isaac Hayes]] voiced the character of [[Chef (South Park)|Chef]], an African-American, [[soul music|soul-singing]] cafeteria worker who was one of the few adults the boys consistently trusted.<ref name="time" /><ref name="faq-28jun2001">{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=6&year=2001 |title=FAQ: June 2001 |access-date=October 13, 2008 |date=June 28, 2001 |publisher=Comedy Central |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410145443/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=6&year=2001 |archive-date=April 10, 2009 }}</ref> Hayes agreed to voice the character after being among Parker and Stone's ideal candidates, which also included [[Lou Rawls]] and [[Barry White]].<ref name="goindown">{{cite video|people=Trey Parker, Matt Stone|title=Goin' Down to South Park|medium=Television documentary|publisher=Comedy Central}}</ref> Hayes, who lived and hosted a radio show in New York during his tenure with ''South Park'', recorded his dialogue on a digital audio tape while a director gave directions over the phone, after which the tape would be shipped to the show's production studio in California.<ref name="method" /> After Hayes left the show in early 2006, the character of Chef was [[Darth Chef|killed off]] in the [[South Park (season 10)|season 10]] (2006) premiere "[[The Return of Chef]]".

====Guest stars====
{{Main|List of South Park guest stars|l1=List of ''South Park'' guest stars}}

Celebrities who are depicted on the show are usually impersonated, though some celebrities do their own voices for the show. Celebrities who have voiced themselves include [[Michael Buffer]],<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.doghouseboxing.com/Dhb/Dhb052507.htm 
 |title=Buffer 'rumbles' his way to the top 
 |date=May 25, 2007 |publisher=Doghouse Boxing
 |access-date=May 26, 2009 |last=Richmond 
 |first=Ray 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017061440/http://doghouseboxing.com/Dhb/Dhb052507.htm 
 |archive-date=October 17, 2007 |url-status=dead 
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
 |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/south-park-religion-unbelievably-tasteless-funny-article-1.801700
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730134127/http://articles.nydailynews.com/1998-02-04/entertainment/18064332_1_damien-new-kid-jesus 
 |archive-date=July 30, 2012 |title=South Park on religion: unbelievably tasteless – & funny 
 |date=February 4, 1998 |work=New York Daily News
 |access-date=February 21, 2022 |last=Mink 
 |first=Eric  
}}</ref> [[Brent Musburger]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marinij.com/sports/ci_5357606|title=Lavin enjoying work with legendary broadcaster|date=March 4, 2007|publisher=www.marinij.com|access-date=May 23, 2009|last=Albee|first=Dave|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714034824/http://www.marinij.com/sports/ci_5357606|archive-date=July 14, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Jay Leno]],<ref>{{cite news
|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/5018386/Jay-Leno-profile-When-Big-Ears-met-Big-Chin.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090321184629/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/5018386/Jay-Leno-profile-When-Big-Ears-met-Big-Chin.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 21, 2009|title=Jay Leno profile: When Big Ears met Big Chin
|date=March 20, 2009|publisher=telegraph.co.uk|access-date=May 23, 2009|last=Leonard|first=Tom|location=London}}</ref> [[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert Smith]],<ref name="nydaily" /> and the bands [[Radiohead]] and [[Korn]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1423639.stm|title=Radiohead drawn into South Park|date=July 5, 2001|publisher=news.bbc.co.uk|access-date=May 23, 2009|archive-date=February 17, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217173041/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1423639.stm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="mtvkorn">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1430968/korn-to-premiere-new-track-during-south-park-special/|title=Korn To Premiere New Track During "South Park" Special|date=October 11, 1999|publisher=MTV|access-date=February 21, 2022|last=Basham|first=David|archive-date=February 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221174239/http://www.mtv.com/news/1430968/korn-to-premiere-new-track-during-south-park-special/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Comedy team [[Cheech & Chong]] voiced characters representing their likenesses for the [[South Park (season 4)|season four]] (2000) episode "[[Cherokee Hair Tampons]]", which was the duo's first collaborative effort in 20 years.<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.undercover.com.au/News-Story.aspx?id=7767 
 |title=Cheech and Chong Will Make Another Movie 
 |date=March 5, 2009 |publisher=www.undercover.com.au 
 |access-date=May 23, 2009 |last=Cashmere 
 |first=Paul 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091019064648/http://www.undercover.com.au/News-Story.aspx?id=7767 
 |archive-date=October 19, 2009 }}</ref> [[Malcolm McDowell]] appears in live-action sequences as the narrator of the season four episode "[[Pip (South Park)|Pip]]".<ref name="faq-12nov2008">{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=11&year=2008 |title=FAQ: November 2008 |access-date=December 19, 2008 |date=November 12, 2008 |publisher=Comedy Central |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219073313/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=11&year=2008 |archive-date=December 19, 2008 }}</ref>

[[Jennifer Aniston]],<ref name="faq-20apr2001">{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=4&year=2001 |title=FAQ: April 2001 |access-date=October 19, 2008 |date=April 20, 2001|publisher=Comedy Central |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090328120915/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=4&year=2001 |archive-date=March 28, 2009 }}</ref> [[Richard Belzer]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/south-park-rules-schedule-bites-article-1.858637|title=South Park rules but schedule bites|date=April 5, 2000|work=New York Daily News|access-date=February 21, 2022|last=Mink|first=Eric|archive-date=March 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319204543/https://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/south-park-rules-schedule-bites-article-1.858637|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Natasha Henstridge]],<ref name="nydaily">{{cite news
 |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/park-won-mess-excess-article-1.802029 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629092259/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/1998/01/20/1998-01-20__park__won_t_mess_with_excess.html 
 |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |title=Park won't mess with excess 
 |date=January 20, 1998 |work=New York Daily News
 |access-date=February 21, 2022 |last=Williams 
 |first=Scott 
 |location=New York 
 |url-status=dead 
}}</ref> [[Norman Lear]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/14/arts/television/14lear.html?ref=us|title=Getting Out the Vote, Keeping Up With Youth|date=August 13, 2008|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=May 24, 2009|last1=Barnes|first1=Brooks|last2=Cathcart|first2=Rebecca|archive-date=May 13, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513030715/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/14/arts/television/14lear.html?ref=us|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Peter Serafinowicz]]<ref>{{cite news
|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/my-secret-life-peter-serafinowicz-actor-and-comedian-age-36-912006.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/my-secret-life-peter-serafinowicz-actor-and-comedian-age-36-912006.html |archive-date=May 24, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=My Secret Life: Peter Serafinowicz, Actor and comedian, age 36
|date=August 30, 2008|work=The Independent|access-date=May 23, 2009|last=Philby|first=Charlotte|location=London
}}</ref> have guest starred as other speaking characters. During ''South Park''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> earliest seasons, several high-profile celebrities inquired about guest-starring on the show. As a joke, Parker and Stone responded by offering low-profile, non-speaking roles, most of which were accepted; [[George Clooney]] provided the barks for Stan's dog Sparky in the [[South Park (season 1)|season one]] (1997) episode "[[Big Gay Al's Big Gay Boat Ride]]",<ref name="faq-27oct2001">{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=10&year=2001 |title=FAQ: October 2001 |access-date=October 19, 2008 |date=October 27, 2001 |publisher=Comedy Central |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410145428/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=10&year=2001 |archive-date=April 10, 2009 }}</ref> Leno provided the meows for Cartman's cat in the season one finale "[[Cartman's Mom Is a Dirty Slut]]",<ref name="faq-27oct2001" /> and [[Henry Winkler]] voiced the various growls and grunts of a kid-eating monster in the [[South Park (season 2)|season two]] (1998) episode "[[City on the Edge of Forever (South Park)|City on the Edge of Forever]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/9877|title=Exclusive: Henry Winkler Talks Sit Down, Shut Up|date=April 13, 2009|publisher=Animation Magazine|access-date=May 23, 2009|last=Milligan|first=Mercedes|archive-date=April 16, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416030844/http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/9877|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Jerry Seinfeld]] offered to lend his voice for the [[Thanksgiving (United States)|Thanksgiving]] episode "[[Starvin' Marvin (South Park)|Starvin' Marvin]]", but declined to appear when he was only offered a role as "Turkey #2".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/where-seinfelds-a-turkey-1165153.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/where-seinfelds-a-turkey-1165153.html |archive-date=May 24, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Where Seinfeld's a turkey|date=June 15, 1998|work=The Independent|access-date=May 23, 2009|last=Reed|first=Jasper|location=London}}</ref>

===Music===
[[File:BLACK SOUL SINGER ISAAC HAYES PERFORMS AT THE INTERNATIONAL AMPHITHEATER IN CHICAGO AS PART OF THE ANNUAL PUSH 'BLACK... - NARA - 556307.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=An adult male with sunglasses plays a piano under a spotlight on a darkened stage, 1973|[[Chef (South Park)|Chef]] would often sing in a style reminiscent of that of his voice actor, [[Isaac Hayes]].]]

Parker says that the varying uses of music are of utmost importance to ''South Park''.<ref name="philomusic">Arp and Broman, pp. 236–49</ref> Several characters often play or sing songs in order to change or influence a group's behavior, or to educate, motivate, or indoctrinate others. The show also frequently features scenes in which its characters have disapproving reactions to the performances of certain popular musicians.<ref name="philomusic" />

[[Adam Berry]], the show's original score composer, used [[sound synthesis]] to simulate a small orchestra, and frequently alluded to existing famous pieces of music. Berry also used signature acoustic guitar and mandolin cues as [[leitmotif]]s for the show's establishing shots.<ref name="philomusic" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.soundtrack.net/content/article/?id=7|title=Eating Cheesy Poofs with Adam Berry|date=December 5, 1998|publisher=Soundtrack.net|access-date=February 21, 2022|last=Goldwasser|first=Dan|archive-date=February 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221185233/https://www.soundtrack.net/content/article/?id=7|url-status=live}}</ref> After Berry left in 2001, Jamie Dunlap and Scott Nickoley of the Los Angeles-based Mad City Production Studios provided the show's original music for the next seven seasons.<ref name="digizine" /> Since 2008, Dunlap has been credited as the show's sole score composer.<ref name="showcredits">{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/behind/cast.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080325234957/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/behind/cast.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 25, 2008 |title=Cast and Crew |publisher=Comedy Central |access-date=May 23, 2009 }}</ref> Dunlap's contributions to the show are one of the few that are not achieved at the show's own production offices. Dunlap reads a script, creates a score using digital audio software, and then e-mails the audio file to South Park Studios, where it is edited to fit with the completed episode.<ref name="digizine" />

In addition to singing in an effort to explain something to the children, Chef would also sing about things relevant to what had transpired in the plot. These songs were original compositions written by Parker, and they were performed by Hayes in the same sexually suggestive [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]] style he had used during his own music career. The band DVDA, which consists of Parker and Stone, along with show staff members Bruce Howell and D.A. Young, performed the music for these compositions and, until the character's death on the show, were listed as "Chef's Band" in the closing credits.<ref name="method" />

[[Rick James]], [[Elton John]], [[Meat Loaf]], [[Joe Strummer]], [[Ozzy Osbourne]], [[Primus (band)|Primus]], [[Rancid (band)|Rancid]], and [[Ween]] all guest starred and briefly performed in the [[South Park (season 2)|season two]] (1998) episode "[[Chef Aid]]". Korn debuted their single "[[Falling Away from Me]]" as guest stars on the [[South Park (season 3)|season three]] (1999) episode "[[Korn's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery]]".<ref name="mtvkorn" />

====Main theme====
The show's [[theme song]] was a musical score performed by the band [[Primus (band)|Primus]], with the lyrics alternately sung by the band's lead singer, [[Les Claypool]], and the show's four central characters during the opening title sequence. Kenny's muffled lines are altered after every few seasons. His lines are usually [[Obscenity|sexually explicit]] in nature, such as his original lines, "I like girls with big fat titties, I like girls with deep vaginas".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=9&year=2001 |title=South Park Studios FAQ |date=September 2001 |publisher=Comedy Central |access-date=October 21, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090814210126/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=9&year=2001 |archive-date=August 14, 2009 }}</ref>

The original unaired opening composition was originally slower and had a length of 40 seconds. It was deemed too long for the opening sequence. So Parker and Stone sped it up for the show's opening, having Claypool re-record his vocals. The [[instrumental music|instrumental]] version of the original composition is often played during the show's closing credits.<ref name="faq-27mar2002">{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=3&year=2002 |title=FAQ: March 2002 |access-date=October 19, 2008 |date=March 27, 2002 |publisher=Comedy Central |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410145547/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=3&year=2002 |archive-date=April 10, 2009 }}</ref>

The opening song played in the first four seasons (and the end credits in all seasons) has a [[folk rock]] instrumentation with [[bass guitar]], [[trumpet]]s and rhythmic drums. Its [[beat (music)|beat]] is fast in the opening and leisurely in the closing credits. It is in the [[minor key]] and it features a [[tritone]] or a diminished fifth, creating a melodic [[Consonance and dissonance|dissonance]], which captures the show's surrealistic nature.{{how|date=December 2024}} In the latter parts of seasons 4 and 5, the opening tune has an [[electro funk]] arrangement with [[pop music|pop]] qualities. Seasons 6–9 have a sprightly [[bluegrass music|bluegrass]] instrumentation with a usage of [[banjo]] and is set in the [[major key]]. For the later seasons, the arrangement is [[electro rock]] with a [[breakbeat]] influence, which feature [[electric guitars]] backed up by [[electronic music|synthesized]], [[Groove (music)|groovy]] drumbeats.<ref name="digizine" />

The opening theme song has been remixed three times during the course of the series, including a remix performed by [[Paul Robb]].<ref name="robb">{{cite news|url=http://www.smmirror.com/MainPages/DisplayArticleDetails.asp?eid=7480|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120916043750/http://www.smmirror.com/MainPages/DisplayArticleDetails.asp?eid=7480|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 16, 2012|title=Paul Robb: Leading a Double Life|last=Ohanesian|first=Liz|date=March 20, 2008|publisher=Santa Monica Mirror|access-date=November 10, 2009}}</ref> In 2006, the theme music was remixed with the song "Whamola" by [[Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade]], from the album ''[[Purple Onion (album)|Purple Onion]]''.<ref name="whamola">{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/faq/archives.php?id=72639 |title=South Park Studios FAQ |date=August 18, 2008 |publisher=Comedy Central |access-date=November 10, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913151046/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/archives.php?id=72639 |archive-date=September 13, 2008 }}</ref>